Clamp device for hair tinting



1942- G. M. HOFFMAN CLAMP DEVICE FOR HAIR TINTING I Original Filed Nov.'7, 1941 fl l j M 1 .M :1 ym 2 3 Ma 40 EIHIIIHIIIHIIIHI Patented Oct.13,, 1942 2,299,018 CLAMP DEVICE FOR HAIR 'TINTING Gertrude M. Hofiman,Omaha, Nebr.

Original application November 7, 1941, Serial No. 418,175. Divided andthis application June 15,

1942, Serial No. 447,125

14 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in clamp devicesfor hair tinting.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide simple, efilcient andadjustable clamping means whereby comparatively thin strands of tintedor dyed human hair may be tightly clampingly engaged and readilyadjustably supported upon the head to conveniently permit the portionsof the new growth of hair in such strand, near the roots of the hair, tobe treated with a bleach or tonic, or tinted or dyed to compensate forsuch growth subsequent to the initial dyeing of the hair.

Another object of m invention is to provide elongated clamping means inthe form of a unitary partially longitudinally split bar, cooperatingwith pressure-applying means, for retaining a strand of hair duringtreatment of a section of such strand.

Another object of my invention is to provide such adjustably-supportedclamping means in the form of hingedly connected pairs of coop. cratingbars of non-porous and non-absorbing material, preferably resilientmaterial such as rubber, although non-absorbent fiber may be used, orother suitable plastic composition. Such bars being preferably elongatedand of both straight and slightly arcuate shapes, and including clampsfor tightly clamping together each pair of the strand-engaging bars tothereby prevent seepage therebetween of the dyeing solution onto theportion of the strand of the dyed hair which is clamped between suchbars so that the new growth of hair near the roots may be neatly dyedwithout streaking and without double-tinting portions of the originallytinted hair which is securely held between the bars; such bars, theclamps therefor, and their adjustable supports being preferably of arubber or fiber composition which is not effected by the dye or tintingsolution to thereby obviate any chemical reaction or undesirable effectupon the hair, in other words, for practical purposes, I prefer to makemost of the parts of my improved device of non-metallic material andwhere metallic parts are used to impart strength, such metallic partsmay preferably be coated with rubber or with a pressed fiber compositionwhich is not effected by or non-reactive to dyes.

Another feature of my invention is found in the undulating formation ofthe complementary clamping faces of the strand-engaging and supportingbars whereby the strand of hair is not onl more securely retainedthereby but which wavy form of the bar faces facilitates the tinting ortreating operation of a desired portion of the strand.

With the above and other objects in view which will readily becomeapparent from the perusal of the following specification and attacheddrawing, my invention consists in the novel combination, constructionand arrangement of the parts and members shown in preferred embodimentsin the attached drawing, described in the following specifications, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a clamp device embodying my invention fortinting or treating hair;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end View of a rubber-covered resilient clamp which may beemployed in the clamp device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the clamp device but embodying amodification of my invention showing straight bars;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the clamp device shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a clamp device for tinting or treatinghair embodying another modification of my invention but showing the twostrand-supporting bar members embodied in a unitary split bar;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section through the clamp shown in Figs. 7and 8 taken on line 9-4) of Fi '7; r

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a pair of strandengaging bars wherein thehinge pin is disposed transversely to the planes of the parallelstrand-engaging bars; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section taken onv line lll| of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 shows a portion of the strand-engaging face ofone of the barsshown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive show my invention applied to a pair ofstrand-supporting bars of elongated arcuate shape, and Figs. 5 to 11inclusive show my invention applied to pairs of strand-supporting barsof elongated but straight form.

The bars illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are adapted to beclampingly secured together by clamps which are applied transversely tothe longitudinal axes of the bars and preferably at or near the oppositeends of the bars. A preferred type of such clamp is illustrated in Fig,4.

The bars illustrated in Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive are adapted to beclampingly secured together by clamps which are applied preferably fromopposite ends of the bars and which clamps are of the type illustratedin Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

In the illustrations, like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts or members.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4consists of a pair of elongated, slightly arcuate, bars 2|! havingpreferably undulating adjacent inner contact faces 2| of complementaryformation to interfit one another; the undulations being slightly curvedon radii whose center is the pivot 26, as shown in Fig. 12.

While the bars 20 are shown in slight arcuate formation somewhatconforming to the curve of the top of a human head, these bars 20 may bestraight bars 20 such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, likewise, the hairstrand clamping faces 2| ma be plane-aligned surfaces 23 as shown inFigs. '7 to 11 inclusive, although I prefer to use the slightlyundulating contact faces 2|.

' The two strand-supporting bars 20 are preferably of trapeziformcross-section.

The end surface portions of the outer faces are preferably roughened orserrated or provided with a series of longitudinally extendingtooth-like formations 22 to provide resistance to the upward movement ofthe two V-shaped clamps 25 made of resilient metal 25 embedded in moldedrubber 25*, as shown in Fig. 4, and having serrated portions 25 Theclamps 25 may also be made of uncovered metal, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive, each clamp 25 consisting of a strip of steel formed into aclamp of V-shaped cross-section having angularly flanged ends 25 andhaving roughened or preferably tooth-like formations 25 formed onportions of the opposed inner faces.

When the strand of hair 24- is interposed between these two bars 20, theclamps 25 are forcibly slidably mounted upon the serrated ends 22 totightly engage the strand of hair disposed between their undulatinginner faces. The resistance between the clamp teeth 25 and theserrations 22 retains the clamps 25 in adjusted positions thereon andthe clamp flanges 25 form suitable supports for retaining the deviceupon the head. The resiliency of the clamps 25 permits their adjustmentvertically relatively to the longitudinal axis of the two bars forproper alignment with the line of the untinted growth of hair.

The bars 23 may be made in the form of separate bars secured together inclamping position about the strand of hair 24 by the clamps 25. Thebars-28 may also be hingedly connected together at a pair of adjacentends of such bars, as by a hinge pin 25 disposed transversely to thevertical planes of the undulating faces, so that one bar may be swungabout such hinge upwardly, in the plane of the undulating faces,relatively to the other bar when applying the bars to a strand of hair.

The above described hinge connection 26 is also employed in theillustrations of the two plain or straight-faced bars 21, shown in Figs.and 11, wherein the employed hinge is shown in Fig. 11, in more detail,as comprising a pin 25 having countersunk rivet-headed ends extendingover the ends of the bearing sleeves 28 molded into the adjacent hingedends of the bars 21. The hinge pin 25 extends through the sleeves 28.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a pair of strand-engaging bars 20 of a typesimilar to the bars 20 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, however,these bars 20 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are not arcuate but arestraight and hingedly connected to gether at one end with a hingegenerally designated by numeral 29. The hinge 29 consists of a plateportion 30 embedded or molded within each bar 20 one hinge plate portion30 is provided with an integral perforated ear 3| extending beyond theend of its supporting bar 23 The perforated ear portion 3| is embracedbetween the two spaced perforated ears 32 formed integrally with theplate portion 30 embedded within the other bar 23 and the ears 3| and 32are hingedly interconnected by the hinge or pivot pin 33 which extendsthrough the perforations of the ears.

It will be noted that the hinge pin 33 for the bars 20 shown in Figs. 5and 6, is disposed parallel to the strand-engaging faces 2| and nottransversely to such faces 2| as in the case of the hinge pin 25 shownin Figs. 1 and 10, and therefore the spreading-apart movement of thebars 25 is in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 6.

The bars 21', shown in Fig. 10, are rectangular in cross-section, asshown in Fig. 11, and the outer sides or faces of these bars 21 areprovided with wedge-like formations 34 formed preferably integrally withthe bars and each increasing in cross-sectional thickness inwardly ortoward the center of the bar and each formation 34 being preferablynarrower in width than the width of the face of the bar from which suchformations project outwardly.

In the modification of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9,the unitary strand-engaging bar 35 consists of a single piece of moldedor cast rubber or other suitable non-porous, or non-absorbingcomposition of matter.

The bar 35 is divided longitudinally, mechanically or otherwise, toprovide a pair of bar sections 35 integrally connected at one end of thebar 35, as at 35 These sections may be formed in the molding operationor the bar 35 may be cast or molded in one piece and then split bycutting or sawing operation through the greater portion of its length,the split or cut terminating in a preferably tubular slot 36 to reducethe possibility of rupture at such end of the split portion.

While the bar portions 35 are shown provided with straight orplane-aligned strand-engaging faces 23, these faces 23 could obviouslybe molded with the undulating surfaces 2| shown in Fig. 6, furthermore,the unitary bar 35 is shown as a straight bar but same could obviouslybe molded in arcuate configuration similar to the bars 29 shown in Figs.1 and 2. The two bar sections 35 are of rectangular cross-section asshown in Fig. 9, but these sections could readily be formed oftrapezi-form cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the strand of hair 24, which is to betreated or tinted, is embraced between the faces 23 of the bar sections35 and the two bar sections are then tightly clampingly secured togetherby the clamps 37 which are slidably moved over the wedge-like formations34 inwardly from the ends of the bar 35 to thereby firmly press the barsections 35 toward each other to tightly secure the strand of hairdisposed between them and thus prevent seepage of the dye onto thepreviously dyed hair held between them.

Since the rate of growth of human hair is substantially uniform thesplit bar is so applied to the strand of hair that the line of the newgrowth is substantially aligned with the bottoms 35 of the sections 35to thus establish a guide for the operator performing the tinting ortreating operation.

The clamps 37 are of U-shaped and each clamp is formed with spaced arms38 having channeled inner sides to fit the wedges 34, as shown in Fig.9. The arms 33 are formed integrally with the back portion 39 which isthreaded to receive an adjustable screw support 40 having a knurled head4! and the lower end rotatably connected with a supporting base 42.

To facilitate the tinting of the new growth of hair, the screws 40 areadjusted to extend the strand of hair 24 in raised or stretched positionupon the spaced three-legged bases 42 which rest upon the head.

The screw it and base 42 may be made of metal but I prefer to make bothof these parts of a highly compressed fiber composition.

It is obvious, to those skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains, that the devices described and claimed herein are applicableto bleaching, ointment or tonic treatments as well as to dyeing of hair,and therefore, in each instance where the word dyeing is used, the sameshall be construed to include bleaching, and ointment or tonictreatments and that throughout the specification and claims the worddyeing or tinting is synonymous with bleaching, or ointment Or tonictreatments.

It is also obvious that the particular details of construction andarrangement of the parts and members, shown in the drawing and describedin the specification by way of illustration of preferred embodiments ofmy invention, may be varied without departing from the spirit of myinvention which is defined in the appended claims.

This application is a division in part of my copending applicationSerial No, 418,175 filed Nov. 7, 1941.

I claim:

1. A device for use in dyeing hair comprising an elongatedinstrumentality of resilient nonporous material adapted to engage astrand of dyed hair between portions thereof to present the new growthof the undyed strand portion between said instrumentality and the scalp,and clamp means for clampingly retaining said strand-engaging portionsof said instrumentality in gripping engagement with the strand of hair.

2. A device for use in dyeing hair as embodied in claim 1, and includingmeans for adjustably supporting said instrumentality on a persons headto thereby retain said undyed strand portion in stretched position tofacilitate the dyeing thereof.

3. A device for use in dyeing hair as embodied in claim 1, and includingsaid strand-engaging portions of said instrumentality having adjacentfaces of undulating surface formation, said undulating surfaces beingdisposed in complementary relatively interengaged arrangement.

4. A device for use in dyeing hair comprising a pair of elongatedadjacent bars of rubber of trapeziform cross-section having end portionsof their outer faces of serrated formation and their inner adjacentfaces of undulating formation adapted to engage therebetween a strand ofdyed hair and to present the new growth of the undyed strand portionbetween said bars and the scalp for dyeing thereof, and a pair ofmetallically reenforced rubber clamps of V-shaped cross-section havinginner faces provided. with serrated portions adapted to engage the said.serrated bar portions and to clampingly retain said bars in grippingengagement with the strand of hair.

5. A device for use in dyeing hair as embodied in claim 4, and includingthe serrated formations on said outer bar faces disposed longitudinallyof said bars, and said clamps disposed transversely of said bars andextending below said bars to thereby support said bars on a persons headand to retain said undyed strand portion in stretched position tofacilitate th dyeing thereof.

6. In a device for hair dyeing, a pair of bars of non-absorbent materialhingedly connected together at one end and adapted to engage a strand ofhair between them, clamping means adapted to retain the adjacent facesof said bars in pressure-gripping engagement with the strand of hair toprevent seepage of the dye therebetween, and means associated with saidclamping means for supporting said bars on a persons head.

7. A device for hair dyeing, comprising a unitary elongated flexible barhaving separated adjacent portions adapted to engage a strand of hairbetween said portions, clamping means adapted to retain said barportions in pressuregripping engagement with the strand of hair, andsupporting means associated with said clamping means and disposed at theends of the unitary bar for supporting the unitary bar on a persons headin spaced position above the scalp.

3. In a device for hair dyeing as embodied in claim 7, and includingsaid supporting means being adjustable for adjustably supporting saidunitary bar on a persons head in a selectively spaced position above thescalp.

9. A device for use in hair dyeing, comprising a unitary flexible barhaving separable adjacently aligned portions adapted to engage a strandof hair between said portions to present the new growth of the undyedstrand portion between said aligned bar portions and the scalp fordyeing thereof, said ban portions being integrally connected at one end,the outer face of each of said bar portions having oppositely disposedwedge-like formations integral with the bar portion, and U-shaped clampsadapted to be slidably mounted over pairs of said wedge-lik formationsfor clampingly retaining said bar portions in pressure-grippingengagement with the strand of hair.

10. A device as embodied in claim 9, and including a screw-adjustablesupporting member in threaded engagement with each of said clampsadapted for adjustably supporting the unitary bar on a persons head tothereby retain said undyed strand portion in stretched position tofacilitate the dyeing thereof.

11. In a device for use in hair dyeing, a pair of elongated bars adaptedto engage a strand of dyed hair between them to present the new growthof the undyed strand portion between the said bars and the scalp fordyeing thereof, the outer face of each of said bars having oppositelydisposed wedge-like integral formations, a U- shaped clamp slidablymounted from each end of said pair of bars onto said wedge-likeformations for clampingly retaining said bars in gripping engagementwith the strand of hair, a screw adjustable supporting member inthreaded engagement with each of said clamps for adjustably supportingsaid clamped bars on a persons head to thereby retain said undyed strandportion in stretched position to facilitate the dyeing thereof, andmeans for pivotally connecting said bars at one end thereof.

12. In a device as embodied in claim 11, including said means forpivotally connecting said bars having a pivot pin disposed transverselyto the plane of the parallel strand-engaging faces of said clamp bars.

13. In a device for use in hair dyeing as embodied in claim 1, andincluding said instrumentality comprising a pair of elongated barspivotally connected together at one end by a pivot pin which is disposedparallel to the strand-engaging faces of said bars.

14. In a device for use in hair dyeing as embodied in claim 1, andincluding said instrumentality comprising a pair of elongated barspivotally connected together at one end by a common pivot pin which isdisposed transversely to the plane of the parallel strand-engaging facesof said bars.

GERTRUDE M. HOFFMAN.

